French 75 Champagne Cocktail

Several years ago I yearned for something a bit unique for the New Year; something more than ‘just’ a glass of Champagne but not what has become my standard of simply adding Champagne to a liqueur, either. I’ve done that a lot over many holiday seasons with the cranberry liqueur I make. I love it, but it was time for something new, something even more elegant.

This was it; the French 75. The 75-MM M1897, a mainstay of the French field artillery in WWI, was a potent little gun and this is a solid namesake—it’s a potent little drink!

There are variations to this drink including the use of Cognac in lieu of gin and some pour it over ice in a Collins glass. I prefer mine shaken and poured straight up so that it doesn’t get diluted!

Although this recipe calls for Champagne, truth be told I seldom buy the French bubbly…maybe that’s a sacrilege when making this French namesake cocktail but the price point can be a killer if I’m entertaining and I need something for a crowd. So for me it’s usually Prosecco from Italy or Cava from Spain or even a good sparkling wine from California.

Simple, beautiful and bubbly…I think the perfect cocktail to toast any special occasion.

French 75 (Serves 2)

Ingredients

3 ounces gin

3 ounces fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon superfine granulated sugar or simple syrup

1 1/2 cups ice cubes

1 cup chilled Champagne, Cava or Prosecco

Lemon twists for garnish

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, lemon juice, sugar, and ice cubes and shake to chill.